Asia Pacific NDT Equipment Market

The Asia pacific NDT equipment market has been estimated at USD billion in 2015 and is projected to reach USD billion by 2020, at a CAGR of during the forecast period from 2015 to 2020. Non-destructive evaluation includes the inspection of process, testing, or evaluating materials, components or assemblies for discontinuities, or differences in characteristics without destroying the serviceability of the part or system. These destructive tests are often used to determine the physical properties of materials such as impact resistance, ductility, yield and ultimate tensile strength, fracture toughness and fatigue strength, but discontinuities and differences in material characteristics are more effectively found by NDT. The six most frequently used test methods are Magnetic Particle Testing, Liquid Penetrant Testing, Radiographic Testing, Ultrasonic Testing, Electromagnetic Testing and Visual Testing. Each of these test methods will be described here, followed by the other, less often used test methods.

These non destructive test equipment offer solutions to industry which are to be used manufacturing, fabrication and in-service inspections to ensure product integrity and reliability. NDT equipment are also used in construction, to ensure the quality of materials and joining processes during the fabrication and erection phases, and in-service NDT inspections are used to ensure that the products in use continue to have the integrity necessary to ensure their usefulness and the safety of the public.

This market is driven by a number of factors, such as Industrial standardisation, Increasing safety regulations, Rapid prototyping and manufacture of complex geometries. However, this market faces certain drawbacks, such testing equipment being very expensive, and lack of qualified and skilled workforce, requirement of customization of NDT equipment. These factors may act as a roadblock to the growth of the market. A plunge in Aerospace industry can be seen as an opportunity where the industry has to adapt to NDT inspection techniques.

This NDT equipment market can be broadly segmented by technology into NDT contact methods and NDT non- contact methods. And these two categories are further sub divided based on the inspection method. The market is also segmented based on the equipment’s usage namely, Mechanics of structures, Weld verification, Radiography in medicine. This technology has applications in Power generation, oil & gas, aerospace and defence, automotive, Medical, Marine. Market study indicates that Aerospace & defence and nuclear segment accounts for the largest share in this market. This is due to the high standardization requirements of these industries.

The market has also been geographically segmented into India, China, Japan, Australia and Indonesia, with Japan occupying the largest consumer base in this region. China and India follow the list in the same order. Asia-Pacific is one of the largest market for NDT equipment. These areas being industrialized heavily and have led this region an area of immense potential and opportunities. However, the price sensitivity in this region has considerably hindered the growth of this market.

The current trends in mergers and acquisitions indicate that the smaller companies are acquiring the bigger ones for higher innovations by utilizing their core competencies. The Non- destructive technology offers a huge potential of change in enhancing safety of many manufactured goods all over the world.